Meikai Monogatari
by Kurama no Miko2003
Summary: As Koenma digs deep into the Reikai reincarnation vaults, he discovers a secret regarding the Reikai Tantei that will change the world forever. In the meantime, Kurama and Kuwabara start having weird dreams . . . 3rd story in the Foxfire arc.
1. Prologue

Disclaimer: I do not own Yuu Yuu Hakusho nor do I make any money from this piece of fan fiction.

Reader Warnings: AU-ish (you'll see the reason for this as I write), shounen-ai, lime, pairings: Hiei x Kurama, Yuusuke x Keiko, Kuwabara x Yukina

AN: My inspiration for this fanfic was another that was posted on five or six years ago, in which Kurama was a reincarnation of Inari and Yuusuke and Hiei were both reincarnations dragons. I'm sad to say that I have since been unable to find the story. But there were two things from that story that stuck with me: the idea that Kurama and Hiei have always been reincarnated together, and that they were always at least friends, if not lovers, in all of them. So, I have decided to write this. I hope you enjoy! Oh, and go read "Sacrifice" if you haven't done so. This prologue was written with that fic in mind.

Meikai Monogatari

Prologue

Koenma grumbles, his father had sent him searching for the files on the four members of his Reikai Tantei team. "There is something about those four that seem really familiar," his father had said. "Find their files; there must be something in there to tell us more!"

Which led Koenma to his current predicament: half-buried in the Reikai file vault, looking through older and older files on his Tantei team. Who knew those four had been reincarnated so many times? Who knew their souls were even that old? Koenma was getting nervous; he had a sense of foreboding that told him he was digging into secrets that were best kept forgotten. But his father's orders were absolute, so he had no choice.

The first big surprise he had discovered was that Kurama's human alias, Minamino Shuuichi, actually had a soul; he actually existed. And, to Koenma's surprise, Minamino Shuuichi had already died, and at the Dark Tournament, no less. How the release of the soul managed to escape both him and Botan was beyond the young Reikai god. But the fact that it had existed was a surprise to him.

But it made no sense, really, why not only was the team reincarnated simultaneously, but also Keiko, Yukina, and Shuuichi's souls as well. And even more nonsensical, was that all of them were reincarnated in different universes. The Reikai, Koenma knew, was merely the central hub to the multiverse. Every being that had ever lived came to the Reikai for judgment when they died. Reincarnation was usually restricted to the dimension the soul originated from. It added to the mystery, and before long, Koenma discovered he had a pile of folders sitting next to him.

Kurama formerly reincarnated as Mikagami Tokiya, Shinomori Aoshi, and Piccolo. Hiei formerly reincarnated as Koganei Kaoru, Hajime Saitou, and Vegita. Yuusuke formerly reincarnated as Hanabishi Recca, Himura Kenshin, and Son Goku. Kuwabara reincarnated as Ishijima Domon, Sagara Sanosuke, and Krillin. And that was only the tip of the iceberg. Every time trouble was mentioned in a dimension, these four would be reincarnated. And, without a doubt, they would go, fix what was wrong, and live happily ever after until their physical bodies gave out. The seals on their death papers had been stamped by Enma himself.

Sighing, Koenma finally reaches one of the deepest parts of the vault. There, he found the end of his trail. But to his surprise, the period of time for these files was from the Meikai War. Four large folders told him these were the ones that he had been looking for. Koenma's eyes widen as he reads the names on those four folders. They were legendary in the Reikai as having saved the multiverse. Their names were bedtime stories to young gods. Even Koenma himself had heard the stories. But he had no idea that his own father had known them.

Kohaku, one of Inari's many bastard sons, born to Yumeru, Yakumo's own sister. Ryuunosuke, heir to Makai Fire Youkai clans, son of Kouen, the then leader of the Makai Fire Youkai, and Hinoko, adoptive daughter of the Makai Black Fire dragons. Kouki, a human who had served the Reikai so well in the early years of the Meikai war that Enma himself gave him Yumi, a minor artifact weapon. Akio, a warrior renown in Reikai mythology as the embodiment of honor, son of Yashiro, the then First General of the Reikai Army, and Hanako, lead Healer of the healer units of the Reikai Army.

Flipping through the folder, Koenma begins reading, trying to discover why his Reikai Tantei team was reincarnates of such powerful beings. And perhaps, he would be able to solve the biggest mystery of all: Their deaths.

To be continued . . .

AN: Short, I know. I'm already working on the first real chapter. Candy to those who know where I got the names for reincarnations. Brownies to those who can tell who's who from the list of four names!


	2. Chapter 1

Disclaimer: I do not own Yuu Yuu Hakusho nor do I make any money from this piece of fan fiction.

Reader Warnings: Shounen-ai, lime, pairings: Hiei x Kurama, Yuusuke x Keiko, Kuwabara x Yukina

AN: I hope you enjoyed that quick prologue, now then, on with the story!

Meikai Monogatari

Chapter 1

Kurama sits at his desk, clearly deep in thought. A window was open, breeze gently playing with the curtains. It had been a month since it happened. A month since he inherited, if that was the right word for it, Gandara. A month since Shura disappeared. A month since he and Hiei recognized their feelings were mutual. Ever since he had read that proclamation, he had tried various means of escaping his inheritance. He would have been more than happy to arrange for someone else to run the country, but truth was, even if Shura was around to be proclaimed leader, Kurama would be even busier, as his conscience would not allow him to let the poor boy be misled by advisors who had personal interests in mind.

Which lead to his current predicament. While he could in theory, split the country in half and give half the land to Yuusuke and the other half to Mukuro – and Hiei, somewhat indirectly – he would effectively be stripping Shura of his inheritance. Deciding he needed some fresh air and maybe some meditation to clear his mind, Kurama writes a quick note to Hiei and leaves.

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~

_There were flames everywhere, blacker than the darkest night. Smoke fills the air as the base burns to the ground. Flames like these were not normal, this much he knew. Someone had woken him up, dragging him to the rear exit of the base, telling him he had to survive. As he ran through the trees away from the flames and smoke, he could sense someone following him. The illumination was from a jewel he wore around his neck; its soft purple glow lighting the way for him. But it was also giving away his position. Looking down, he could tell he wore no armor. He skidded to a sudden stop as he found himself on one side of a deep canyon._

_Before he could figure out a way around, a jet-black dragon swoops down and hovers in front of him, purple eyes the size of saucers carefully following his every move. A noise behind him forces him to turn around as he sees another man land. He was short, wore armor as black as the dragon that appeared. No doubt the dragon was this new warrior's companion. A helm finely crafted to look like the head and jaws of a dragon covered the newcomer's face._

"_You can't escape. What will it be?" A hand rests on the newcomer's sword._

"_Ryuunosuke, heir to the Makai Fire Youkai clans, son of the General of the Fire Youkai division of the Makai army, Captain of the Black Fire Dragon platoons," he responds._

_The one now-identified as Ryuunosuke scoffs before replying, "Kohaku, son of Yumeru, sister of Yakumo, head of the Meikai Army Intelligence division, rumored to be Inari's bastard son. Must be my lucky night." Ryuunosuke charges, sword in hand, intent on slicing through the unarmored spy._

_Kohaku's eyes narrow. "Sorry, but not tonight." A swirl of petals appears, obscuring the enemy's vision . . . _

Kurama's eyes snap open, refocusing as he realizes he had been sitting in a tree at the park. 'What was that all about?' The names of the two people in his vision were the same as two of the Four Legendary Warriors of the Meikai war. There was a strange familiarity with the Ryuunosuke, like Kurama had met him before, but the kitsune knew it that it was impossible for them to have met before. The Meikai war happened millennia ago; and Kurama knew that, while he was old, he was hardly _that_ old.

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~

Kuwabara sat at the library, nodding to sleep over his math textbook. Over the years, his grades had gotten better and he had managed to do well enough in high school to get into a good college. The peace between the three worlds had made his job easy, and there was only one thing that could make the human's life perfect: Yukina. But alas, with Hiei's constant hovering, Kuwabara was unsure if he could capture the little Koorime's heart. Sure, he was forward with his feelings for her, too forward, some would say. But to see her smile and giggle at his antics made his world that much brighter, so he kept at it. Maybe she did return his affections for her and was just too shy to say anything. Yeah, that had to be it. It was impossible that she would be attracted to the eternally ornery Hiei. Shaking thoughts of Yukina from his head, he looks back down at his homework. 'Focus, Kuwabara, you can't afford to fail this next math test.'

But some being of greater power must have been working against the human, for less than ten minutes later; he was sprawled out over his math homework, fast asleep.

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~

_Kuwabara recognized right away that he was dreaming; there was no way he could be standing in the middle of what appeared to be a feudal-era battlefield. A man, dual wielding katanas lands next to him. He wore light armor - enough to provide mediocre defense against ranged attacks - that covered his torso and hips. His long black hair was in a messy ponytail; no doubt the fighting had loosened it from the hair tie. His legs were covered in shredded and bloodied hakama pants; from what Kuwabara could see, they were probably white at one point. His black kimono was equally shredded and bloodied, but there were other things to worry about than torn and bloody clothes._

_The enemy had crashed into their flank, and in the confusion, they had suffered heavy losses. They were the only ones left standing, and the enemy was rushing in to surround them. A halberd of pure reiki appeared in his hands as he prepared to make his stand. The other man, though, had other ideas. "Don't go getting ready to die yet, Akio. Keep them busy for a few seconds, draw them in. We can rejoin the main forces once we're done here."_

"_Another one of your brilliant ideas, Kouki?"_

"_Of course! How else do you think a simple human like me managed to live through so many years of the war?" By this point, they could see the enemy soldiers; their steel weapons gleaming in the sun. "Keep 'em busy." At this, the man named Kouki jumps into the air, holding a bow._

_Akio charges, parrying blows from enemy halberds as he steps back to align the enemy army into a cone. A brilliant blue arrow sweeps through the enemy troops, spreading out in a conical pattern as Akio and Kouki both run for the main forces . . . _

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~

Kuwabara awoke with a start to realize that it was almost time for the library to close. He frowns, noting it was one the last time he checked his watch. Sighing, he gathers his textbooks to study more at home. 'What the hell was that dream all about?' Had he talked to Kurama more about Makai mythology, he would have recognized the names. But as it was, he had no idea. Shrugging it off as an overactive imagination, the orange haired human left the library for home. There would be plenty of time to mull over the dream later.

To be continued . . .

AN: What do you think? Like/hate? Let me know! Drop a review!


	3. Chapter 2

Disclaimer: I do not own Yuu Yuu Hakusho nor do I make any money from this piece of fan fiction.

Reader Warnings: Shounen-ai, lime, pairings: Hiei x Kurama, Yuusuke x Keiko, Kuwabara x Yukina

AN: Sorry about the long wait, I hit a spot of writer's block and couldn't figure out a way to continue! I noticed a lot of people are hoping I'd do something with the DBZ/Kenshin/Flame of Recca reincarnation characters. I don't really plan on doing much with those; they were just thrown in for fun. Sorry if this is a disappointment, but I have other plans in mind for our favorite Reikai Tantei team.

Meikai Monogatari

Chapter 2

Enma Daioh scowls at the twin goddesses standing in his private chambers. He hated dealing with them, despite their tendency to send souls his way. No matter what, the twins had a way of catching up to their intended target, immortal or not; that was simply the way Fate and Karma worked. Of the two, Fate was the soft spoken twin, her long black hair neatly looped on top of her head while the rest cascaded down her back. She wore long white-trimmed red robes of silk that trailed behind her as she seemingly glided from place to place. Her sister, Karma, was her opposite, with her short white hair and assertive personality. She wore loose fitting black pants and a sleeveless black shirt with deep green bracers on her wrists.

"Enma Daioh-sama, it has been quite a while," Fate begins, her long black hair swishing down her back as she bows to the Lord of the Reikai. "I hope you are doing well. How is Koenma doing with his duties? I heard that you finally let him take over some of your duties five centuries ago."

"He is doing," here, Enma pauses, searching for the proper words, "as well as can be expected given his nature. But I am certain you two are not here to exchange pleasantries." His wording indicated his displeasure in his son's performance.

"Heh," Karma replies, "you're right, we're not here to exchange pleasantries. We're here to deliver a warning, of sorts."

"And what have I done recently to require a personal visit?"

"Not recently, Enma Daioh-sama, but perhaps, much farther back. You see, you have," here, Fate plasters a fake smile on her face, in clear mockery of the Reikai Lord's earlier gesture, "disturbed a certain set of souls. We are warning you that further interference will not be tolerated by us."

"I have many dealings with many souls," Enma replies, attempting to evade the issue. And in a way, it was true. The Lord of the Dead saw to it he received an update once every five years to see that his son was passing judgment on souls properly.

"Tsk, tsk, tsk," Karma admonishes, "Enma, it doesn't pay to be so evasive. You know which souls we are talking about. A Reikai warrior, cursed to be human in all further reincarnations, an unconventional love forcibly split, a soul forever cursed to watch those closest to him die before him . . . did you honestly think we would miss the signs of your work?"

"We have also been sent on Inari's behalf. He says that this is his final warning. Interfere with his son's soul again, and he will personally see to it that you will wish you were mortal," Fate calmly recites as though she was talking about the weather. If Enma Daioh had a response to Inari's message, it was carefully controlled and went unnoticed.

"This charade has continued for far too long, Enma. You've gotten more use out of them than any sins they'd committed in all of the reincarnations combined." Noting the look of pure annoyance on Enma's face, Karma added, "Yes, _including_ all of the emptying of the Reikai vaults two of them have accomplished in their current incarnation."

"So, Enma Daioh, what will it be? Will you stop your charade, or must we prove to you why there is no escaping Fate and Karma?" Receiving no response, Fate and Karma simply strode out of Enma's chambers, leaving him to his thoughts.

He had heard that there was no way to avoid Fate or Karma, let alone outsmart them. But after so many millennia, he was not about to let them catch up to him. Oh no. And after much thought, he had made up his mind. Yes, there was only one way to fix the problem. So what if it would cause massive amounts of chaos in the Ningenkai? If it would make those weak humans go running back to him, looking for protection, what would he have to lose? And in doing so, he could also gain more followers, granting him more power. A deity was only as powerful as his worshippers believed him to be.

As for Inari, the old fox god must be a fool to interfere with Enma's domain. All souls eventually returned to the Reikai, and it is there that the soul's deeds for that reincarnation are measured against the soul's sins as a whole. For souls that were the offspring of deities, they often skipped judgment and were allowed to wander the Reikai or to visit their immortal parents before reincarnating or resting in one of the Reikai's heavens. And since all of this relied on Enma's judgment, most deities had taken to appeasing the Reikai Lord on their children's behalf. Inari's threat will most certainly be taken into account the next time _that_ soul came to Enma for judgment. Maybe a few harsh reincarnation cycles as a Makai bog monster might remind the deity just who the Lord of Souls was.

He was equally aware that in asking his son to look up the reincarnation files on his so-called Reikai Tantei team – some team that was, considering there is only one human, and _he_ is the weakest of them – he would have plenty of time to set his plan into action. As a serving girl enters with his lunch, his stomach growls. Maybe he would have lunch first, and then execute his plan. Looking down at the delicious tray of food that was brought in, yes, he decided, definitely lunch first.

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~

Koenma had been so absorbed in reading the files that he never noticed when a lone female figure crept inside, seals tucked into her long kimono seals, with a tray of food. He never noticed when she quietly opened the door to the inner Reikai vault to set the tray down. He never heard when she just as quietly padded back outside and gently shut the door. He never noticed the chanting that accompanied her sealing the door.

What he did notice, though, was his stomach growling many hours later, and the tray of food that had been left there for him. Eyes never leaving the page he was reading, he slowly began to eat.

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~

Enma Daioh began to formulate a plan in his mind, eager to distract Fate and Karma for a little while longer. He knew, as far as reincarnation went, that a soul was strongest when it was reincarnated into its native plane. It was possible to reincarnate the souls in other planes; he had seen to it that was done many times in the past. It was, of course, never his intention to let _that_ group of souls reincarnate in their native plane, especially since their native plane was so close to the Reikai. Too close, really. Without Koenma, he was certain that the Reikai Tantei would be in the dark about his plans, for the moment, anyway. And by the time they knew, it would be too late. Now all that remained was distracting Fate and Karma.

Leaning back, he reaches for a small bell attached to a black handle. The tinkling of the bell echoes through the palace. A few minutes later, a woman, dressed in a pure white kimono embroidered with cherry blossom petals, bows at his feet. "My Lord, you rang for me?"

"Yes, Reika, fetch me the boy."

"As you wish, my Lord." Bowing again, Reika leaves the room, hurrying to the dungeons.

A few moments later, a young boy, looking no older than seven, was forcibly dragged into the room. The boy could almost pass for human, with his large brown eyes and short black hair, but he had pointed elf-like ears and a single horn protruding from his forehead. "What do you want? You have me imprisoned without reason for one month!"

"Now, now, Shura, that is your name, is it not?" The boy glared in response. "There is no need to be so angry. I had merely summoned you here to work out a deal of sorts."

The suggestion seemed to appease the boy, and for the moment, Shura calmed down and looked at the Reikai Lord once more. "Deal? What kind of a deal?"

"As you are no doubt aware, your father taken to," Enma gestures in the air, as though he were looking for an appropriate word, "snub you of your inheritance. Instead of leaving his kingdom to you, he has seen to it to bequeath it to Kurama, who, among his sins, betrayed your father."

"Tell me something worth my time. There is no point in you repeating what has already transpired."

"No need to be so hasty," Enma admonishes before continuing. "I have need of assistance in removing Kurama the world of the living, as it were. Should you choose to assist me, I can see to it that your inheritance will be rightly yours once more. I also have a means of increasing your power to match. It would be utterly foolish to see you return here for good before you have exacted your revenge."

Shura stands, quietly thinking about Enma's proposition. Yomi had taken care to teach the boy of the traitorous ways of the Reikai, but the prospect of exacting his revenge early was tempting. Too tempting. As it was, in his revenge-focused state, Shura could not think of a reason to turn Enma down. Had the little youkai been in a more rational state of mind, or less grief and anger stricken, he would have thought twice. Or he would have at least taken his unjust imprisonment at Enma's hands into consideration. But as it were, revenge on the one who took away everything he knew was on his mind first and foremost.

Noting the pause on the young youkai, Enma says, "If you would like, I can give you a few days to think it over."

"No need. I accept."

"Very well. Reika, take him to the chamber. We must begin the procedure right away."

"Yes, my Lord."

Enma could not help twisting his lips into an evil smirk as Reika escorts the young youkai into a secret laboratory. It was all too easy to manipulate the ex-heir of Gandara, just as it was too easy to make sure his own son, Koenma, would be kept out of the loop until it was far too late. Even if Koenma were to uncover more of the truth, most of the sensitive material had been long since destroyed. Standing up, he walks to a safe, pulling out a chipped orb and a soul. Walking into the laboratory, he looks at the young youkai before looking at the surgeon on hand. "Ah, Shigure, you are already here, excellent."

"Youkai or not, I am still bound by the confines of my punishment." If the brilliant Makai surgeon was surprised to see that his patient was Shura, it did not show on his face.

"I would like for you to implant these inside Shura."

"The procedure will be very painful," Shigure says, taking the items from Enma. "This is an incomplete soul. It will be very risky to implant it inside him."

"He will live."

"Very well," Shigure replies, pulling out his tools. "Strap him down. The procedure will be done without anesthesia."

Reika steps forward, strapping Shura down to the operating table. "Is there anything else you need?"

"That is all," Shigure says, ignoring the presence of the other two as he begins making a cut down Shura's chest. At first, the young youkai grit his teeth, but as Shigure began to saw through Shura's ribs, his screams of pain begin to echo in the room. Enma nods one last time to Shigure as he leaves, thankful he had sound proofed the room.

"Reika, let me know when the procedure is complete. We must make sure our subject is in perfect working condition for the next part of my plan."

"Very well, my Lord," Reika calmly answers. If Shura's bloodcurdling screams had left any impression on her, her face did not show it.

To be continued . . .

AN: I'm aware the manga shows Shigure as still alive in the final chapters. I dug through the anime, and since I was watching crappy HK bootleg DVD downloads, my little Japanese could only help me as far as "Shigure was defeated and he jumped off the tree". Since he does not appear again in the anime, I will take it to mean he committed suicide and is therefore dead.


	4. Chapter 3

Disclaimer: I do not own Yuu Yuu Hakusho nor do I make any money from this piece of fan fiction.

Reader Warnings: Shounen-ai, lime, pairings: Hiei x Kurama, Yuusuke x Keiko, Kuwabara x Yukina

AN: Thank you all those who reviewed! I'm sorry about the slower update schedule; I'm currently working on crunching through pharmacy school applications. I've also been having minor issues getting this story written, as the format I've chosen to write this in is the same as writing two stories at once! So, for now, I'll shoot for a chapter a week, and maybe a drabble or two here 'n there. And thank you so much to those of you who told me where to find that story! I've since rediscovered it over on . *happy dance*

Meikai Monogatari

Chapter 3

Kurama sits up in bed, resting his head on his knees, looking at the gently sleeping form of his lover in the moonlight. Unable to sleep, and still bothered by the dream he had a week ago, the kitsune had decided to take the rare opportunity to watch his beloved sleep. It was rare to see Hiei's face so relaxed, so free of the usual wariness that accompanied the petite fire youkai. Even the forced hibernation brought on by using the Kokuryuuha did not manage such a feat. Seconds tick by, and unknown to the kitsune, his eyelids slowly began to droop, each moment making his eyelids feel heavier and heavier. While he would no doubt have a sore back and neck in the morning, the kitsune drifts off into sleep, and with it came dreams of another time and another place.

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~

_A solitary figure sits in the middle of a cold, dank cell. The simple, flowing characters on the wards covering the walls and bars belie their true power, as the figure inside struggles to summon enough power to break free. Hearing footsteps, the figure stops, straining to identify the newcomer. A tray of food is set down by the gap in the bars at the floor, and is shoved through using a stick. Looking up, the prisoner was rather surprised to see that it was the Captain of the Black Flame Dragon platoons, Ryuunosuke himself, delivering the food._

_Noting the look of surprise, Ryuunosuke pauses, then says, "We're not about to starve you; it'd do us no good to piss off Inari. Now eat, before he gets ideas about how we're treating you."_

"_Really? Perhaps you could do me a favor and remove a few of these wards. They're rather stifling."_

_Ryuunosuke laughs. "Unfortunately, Kohaku, we're going to remain on the side of caution. There is no reason why we should return one of Yakumo's best spies and fighters, now is there?"_

"_No, I suppose not," mirth danced in Kohaku's voice. "So, what's next for me? Death?"_

"_If that is what Father wishes," Ryuunosuke says._

"_You sound as though you have a different idea."_

"_Perhaps," Ryuunosuke begins, not wishing to divulge more._

_Taking a bite of his dinner, Kohaku was pleasantly surprised to find that it was palatable and unspoiled. He had expected to be fed rotten slops, since that was Yakumo's prisoner policy. "Tell me, do you always feed your prisoners so well?"_

_Ryuunosuke scoffs. "We prefer to keep angry gods at bay." He pauses, as though debating with himself whether to continue. Throwing caution to the winds, he plows on. "Tell me, why do you fight with him? You don't seem the type to fight a losing war. And you know that he will lose. No one can stand up to the might of the armies of both the Reikai and the Makai." It did not escape Kohaku's notice that the Ningenkai's army remained unmentioned. But given the frail state of humans in general, they were simply cannon fodder. Many of the spiritually strong had been slain long ago, with the start of the war centuries ago._

"_True that may be, I have my own reasons. Lost friends and family, promised revenge," the demigod's voice drifts off as he begins to eat his meal. It was clear to Ryuunosuke, after centuries of facing the spy in the battlefield that there was something left unsaid in that statement. "And what about you?"_

"_The same."_

_Kohaku laughs. "Then this war will never end. At least, not until one side has been slain down to the last child."_

_Ryuunosuke looks up in confusion. "Why?"_

"_Answer me this then: I've killed many on your side, you've killed just as many on mine. We have sworn revenge against each other so many times . . . If one guy takes a life for vengeance and then someone gets revenge for taking his life*, where will that lead?"_

_Ryuunosuke pauses to consider the notion. "It's a never ending cycle."_

"_And that is why the war will never end." Kohaku returns to his food. He did not expect to be discussing this particular topic with anyone; such a suggestion would have been considered treason by Yakumo. Kohaku has long since known that the real reasons for the war have been long forgotten. Winning the war was practically icing on the cake, and the winner would no doubt change history to ensure the loser was portrayed as appropriately evil._

_Yakumo was the eldest of five children. As things stood now, only two remained alive: Yumeru, Kohaku's mother, and Yakumo himself. The war had long since ceased to have a purpose beyond mutual revenge. Kohaku himself had watched his uncle fall into grief and revenge-fueled madness, convinced that by winning the war, claiming Enma's throne, and gaining all the power that came with ruling the Ningenkai, he would be able to resurrect his fallen loved ones, and that all would be well again. Kohaku had no such delusions. The rules of the universe were cold and heartless. Even deities could not stop death. Enma was merely the man assigned to oversee the task._

_Ryuunosuke's next words, though, surprised the demigod. "Then perhaps _we_ should be the ones to end it. If this war is as pointless as it has become, then surely there must be something that can be done to stop it."_

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~

Kurama awoke with a start, his muscles protesting from the bent position he had fallen asleep much earlier. _'Another dream'_, he thought. Looking over, he notices that the Jaganshi was no longer in bed next to him. Lying back down onto the bed, he slowly stretched the taut muscles before getting ready to start yet another day.

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~

Kuwabara sits up from bed, wiping what remained of sleep from his eyes. _'Yet another weird dream. I have the strangest feeling I have met these people before.'_ Thinking back, he tried to recall what fragments he could before he forgot. Taking out a notebook he kept specifically for this purpose, he began to write.

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~

_It was in the middle of the night, far away from the bright lights of the Reikai army camp. He and Kouki, a very strong spiritually aware human, had snuck away in order to meet two others, Ryuunosuke, an ally from the Makai army, and Kohaku, an ex-Meikai spy. He was leery of meeting the ex-spy; although rumors and confirmation of his defect from Yakumo's side had spread far and wide, he was unwilling to believe that this would be the case. Nonetheless, there were three of them and one of him. No doubt if things came to blows, that Kohaku could be easily recaptured._

_He and Kouki reached the clearing first, picking a spot near the middle to rest. Tonight was the night of the full moon in the Ningenkai, and if anyone was to attack them, they would have to do so in the moonlight._

_A few moments later, the sound of large, beating wings signaled Ryuunosuke's arrival. The dragon rider jumped down from his mount as Kohaku jumped down after. The two were a study in contrast: Ryuunosuke, in his full armor, was a study of darkness and shadows, meant to blend in with his dragon. Kohaku, was fully unarmored, and in the moonlight, his divine ancestry showed as he, in his gauzy white robes, glowed._

"_Alright, you called us out here, and what's _he_ doing here?" Kouki asks, hands reaching for weapons._

_Kohaku immediately raises his hands into the open. "As the rumors say, I have defected. I see no reason to fight a meaningless war, so, let us end it. But Ryuunosuke and I do not have the proper connections to end it. While we can get the Makai army to withdraw, that still would not be able to get Enma or my uncle to stop their foolishness. We need you, Kouki, to talk to the human leaders and you, Akio, to talk to Enma and end this war before every last sentient being in the four realms die."_

"_And how do we know he's not lying?" Akio asks. No matter what the spy did or said, he could not be trusted. That was what Kohaku was famous for. A flawless mask and well placed illusions was what he used to whittle out important information from his enemies._

_Ryuunosuke reaches into his armor before pulling out a purple orb on a string. "Is this good enough for you?" The Reikai warrior and human gaped as they saw the pendant: Kohaku's Hoshi no Tama**._

"_It was freely given, with the knowledge that should I need it to fight, I would have it. Those were part of the conditions of my defection," the demigod stated. "But we are not here to discuss deals made decades ago." A mild tone of regret, but nonetheless, it shocked Akio. It was unheard of for a kitsune to freely part with its Hoshi no Tama. So maybe the spy was telling the truth after all._

"_So what do you propose? Yakumo's long ceased to be reasonable, and all Enma wants is to be rid of him and the Meikai."_

"_There is one way I can think of," Kohaku starts, hesitant. "The Meikai Gyoku***."_

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~

Kuwabara stopped writing as he recognized the last words of the dream. _"The Meikai Gyoku."_ The gentle voice that said it distinctly reminded him of someone he knew. At the same time, the swordsman also realized that the sphere had been destroyed by Yuusuke when they fought Yakumo. It had to have been . . . right?

To be continued . . .

Notes for this chapter:

*"…one guy takes a life for vengeance and then someone gets revenge for taking his life …" quoted verbatim from Cagalli Yula Athha from Gundam SEED. In my humble opinion, one of the best quotes from that series.

**Hoshi no Tama: In Japanese mythology, a kitsune's source of power was its Hoshi no Tama. Legends say that if a human manages to steal it from a kitsune, it would do anything to get it back. Given that Kohaku is descended from Inari himself, I thought it would be appropriate for him to have one as well.

***Meikai Gyoku: Also known as the Power Sphere in the English dub version of the 2nd YYH movie.


	5. Chapter 4

Disclaimer: I do not own Yuu Yuu Hakusho nor do I make any money from this piece of fan fiction.

Reader Warnings: Shounen-ai, lime, pairings: Hiei x Kurama, Yuusuke x Keiko, Kuwabara x Yukina

AN: Thank you to those who reviewed last chapter and everyone who is continuing to keep up with this fic even though I've been forced to go with a much slower update schedule! Also, if anyone is confused by what happens in the last section of this chapter, go read "Her Happiness". It's directly related to that penta-drabble.

Meikai Monogatari

Chapter 4

Enma Daioh sits in his private chambers, carefully monitoring Shura's progress through a viewing screen. After the surgery, the young youkai had been placed into a special pocket dimension to allow him to adjust to the implants. For the first few days, he had done little other than shoot massive blasts of youki in an attempt to reduce the immense amount that the implants had granted him. Now, a week after the surgery, he is calmly figuring out new techniques. Enma Daioh was very pleased with the little clone's progress. All that was missing now was a single key component. Hopefully, Reika would find it for him.

Reika gently opens the door, bowing to the floor at the feet of her Lord. "Enma Daioh-sama, I have brought the item you seek." From the sleeve of her long white kimono, she pulls out a piece of platinum jewelry masterfully crafted into the form of a nine-tailed kitsune sleeping around a large jewel. A loop in the nape of the kitsune's neck suggested that it was once attached to a chain. The large jewel in the center swirled with some milky substance underneath, as though it was being stirred even though Reika held her hands perfectly still.

"Excellent, you have found it. Time for the next stage of our plan."

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~

Urameshi Yuusuke was happily running his ramen stand, busy as ever during lunch hour, when the special broadcast on the radio started.

"To the Ningenkai," it starts, "I am Shura, the new Lord of Gandara." Yuusuke froze at the name. Shura had disappeared ever since their little, uh, social call to Yomi a month and a half ago. And now he suddenly shows up? _And besides,_ Yuusuke thought, _wasn't _Kurama_ supposed to be the new Lord of Gandara?_

The broadcast continues, shaking the ex-Reikai Tantei from his thoughts. "While it is a great honor for me to be taking over this position from my father, Lord Yomi, I have sad news to share. My father was assassinated, and the perpetrators of this terrible crime are hiding among humans in the Ningenkai. We, the Gandaran government, need your help in catching these dastardly assassins and bringing them to justice."

A feeling of cold dread fills the young Lord of Torin as Shura pauses to allow his statement to sink in. _He couldn't be talking about us . . . right?_

"There are four members to this elite assassin team: Kuwabara Kazuma, Minamino Shuuichi – also known in some circles as Kurama, Hiei, and finally, their leader, Urameshi Yuusuke." At this, Yuusuke's customers began to warily eye him as the line of those still waiting to be served dissipated. _Well, shit. So much for being the anonymous saviors of the world._

"All four possess dangerous supernatural abilities and should be treated as armed and dangerous at all times. Do not engage them yourselves if you find yourself encountering one of them. Please go to the Gandaran Embassy website for images and descriptions of these deadly assassins and call our embassy hotline with your tips. We will see to it that any information leading to an arrest will be well rewarded."

In a matter of moments, Yuusuke had been partially blinded by cell phone cameras going off as his customers quickly snap photos of the "deadly assassin" in their midst before scrambling to call the embassy hotline. _Figures none of them would bother _paying_ first,_ he angrily thought, closing up the shop. After all, with _that_ little broadcast, there was no way he would get anymore customers today. Heck, there was probably no point in even hanging around out in public either.

Picking up his own cell phone, Yuusuke calls Keiko. "Keiko, it's Yuusuke. Did you catch that broadcast just now?" A pause. "Can you take care of the stand for me? I need to lay low for a while." Another pause. "Hopefully this will blow over in a few months and things will be back to normal." Pause. "Look, if you find yourself in trouble, don't hesitate to use my personal portal to get into Torin. They _know_ better than to mess with you. I'll call again when I'm somewhere safe. Ja." Yuusuke hangs up, tucking his cell phone into his back pocket as he considers his options. Glancing around the street, he quickly locks up the stand and walks into the alleyway, hoping to get out of the city as fast as he could.

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~

Kuwabara Kazuma was happily eating lunch with Yukina when the noon news was interrupted by Shura's broadcast. He had his own veterinary practice for little over a year now, and was rather well known for his skill in healing beloved pets of various ailments. As a result, he had taken care to make sure that his lunch hour was never booked, so he could enjoy his midday meal with his favorite Koorime and her delicious cooking.

The change in background noise was, of course, noticed by the happy couple, and as the broadcast went on, Kuwabara got increasingly nervous. "Yukina-san, I think we should leave."

Walking to the door of his office, he put his ear up to it and notices that there was none of the usual buzz of quiet conversation and sounds of pets outside. Concentrating a little longer, he realizes he could hear the sounds of police cars and radios out front. Knowing that he would be spotted if he were to open his office door, he quickly materializes his Jigen Tou and creates a hole in the wall. Kicking down the section of wall, he quickly steps out and glances around. "This way, Yukina-san. The police are already out front. Maybe we can slip out the back."

As they were exiting the back door, a few officers round the corner and spot the pair. "Freeze!"

Without a second thought, Kuwabara scoops up Yukina into his arms and makes a mad dash down the alleyways. Yukina, thinking quickly, freezes the ground under the officers, making them slip and fall as they try to follow. "Good thinking, Yukina-san!"

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~

Hiei was in his office at Mukuro's castle, reading the latest intelligence reports, when she storms into the office, angrily clenching a message. The fire youkai glances up at his boss, surprised at her demeanor. His face, of course, betrayed no such feeling as he opens his mouth. "Let me guess. You need me to go kill someone."

"I wish it were that simple," Mukuro replied, throwing the crushed letter onto the desk. As he flattens it, he notices that it was written on fine stationery, like something he would use in a declaration. Beneath the seal of Gandara was a message written in neat fine print.

_To Lady Mukuro, Lord of Alaric,_

_It has come to my attention that your ambassador, Hiei, has been involved in the assassination of my father. As such, I am revoking his diplomatic immunity in Gandara and I must urge you to hand him over to me at once. If you would require some sort of recompense, I can make arrangements for such an exchange. If by some means you refuse, I must regretfully declare war upon you, a war that you will most assuredly win. I will wait one week for your response._

_Sincerely,_

_Lord Shura, Lord of Gandara_

Hiei looks up from the letter, face neutral, to face Mukuro. "Well, the bastard goat _was_ keeping my fox prisoner. I don't share."

A messenger burst into the office before Mukuro could answer. He kneels at Mukuro's feet as he holds up a sheet of paper. "Lady Mukuro, Lord Hiei, we found these flyers raining down in the main city."

Mukuro's face pales as she reads the flyer. Printed on the brightly colored sheaf of paper was an appeal to all human and soul eating youkai to join Shura's new army. A promise of good pay, better food, and lots of action was splattered all over the paper. _"Help Lord Shura take over the Makai today, and tomorrow, you will be dining in the Ningenkai once more!"_

Turning to the messenger, Mukuro orders, "You are dismissed."

Pulling a cord on the wall, she waits a few moments for the Ichirou, the Captain of the Alaric Border Patrol, to arrive. He swiftly rushes in, kneeling at Mukuro's feet. "My Lady, you wished for my presence?"

"Tell the border patrols to be extra careful from now on. Anyone crossing the border to Gandara must be carefully checked. Sneaking across the border is now an act of treason and shall be dealt with by swift execution. Double all patrols, we cannot afford to give Shura an army. That is all."

Standing, Ichirou salutes before rushing out again, with new orders to bark out to the patrols.

Turning back to Hiei, Mukuro says, "You are to be reassigned to the Ningenkai. War is coming to Alaric, and I will not leave her leaderless should my darkest hour arrive."

If Hiei was surprised at Mukuro's words, he did not show it. After all, death and fighting had always been a part of youkai life. Now was no different.

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~

Kurama had been enjoying a quiet lunch with his mother in the garden when the neighborhood watch announcement van rolled down the street, reminding people to tune into the noon news for a special announcement. While he normally would have had work, he had taken the day off to spend some time with Shiori. She had been rather worried about him after his inexplicable two week absence, which he had said, when he returned, was an avoidable emergency to go help a friend.

Work, though, had been a completely different story, as he discovered that it was only due to the fact his stepfather owned the company that kept him from being fired. As it was, Hatanaka Kazuya had been rather displeased at his stepson's absence, but in the interest in keeping the family peace, had refrained from pushing the issue further and let Kurama off with a harsh reminder that he was no longer a child and, as an adult, had more important responsibilities to think of. Such as being placing a higher priority on his stepfather's image and company than everything else in his life. Never mind that whenever the kitsune-turned-human runs off, the usual reasons include: because his human family (including his stepfather) had been threatened or it was, once again, time to save the world(s). What the human did not know could not _possibly_ harm him, right? Right? Ah, to be one of the four unsung, unknown saviors of the worlds.

The announcement from the neighborhood watch had piqued Kurama's curiosity as well as Shiori's concern, and the pair quickly cleaned up dishes and headed inside to watch the news.

Fifteen minutes in, the special broadcast began. The picture changes to show Shura; now looking more like a teenager than the child he had appeared to be when Kurama had first met him, sitting in formal Gandaran robes in Yomi's office. The front of the imposing dark wood desk had an engraving of the Gandaran royal seal, and behind the young youkai were the flags of Gandara and the Makai. Kurama froze, clenching his hands and digging his nails into his palms, desperately hoping that this was all a nightmare. The pain in his hands told him otherwise.

"To the Ningenkai," it started, "I am Shura, the new Lord of Gandara. While it is a great honor for me to be taking over this position from my father, Lord Yomi, I have sad news to share. My father was assassinated, and the perpetrators of this terrible crime are hiding among humans in the Ningenkai. We, the Gandaran government, need your help in catching these dastardly assassins and bringing them to justice."

Shiori looked curiously over to Kurama at his sharp intake of breath. The fox's mind was racing, trying to make some sense out of the situation. _When did he return? Why didn't I hear anything about this?_

"There are four members to this elite assassin team: Kuwabara Kazuma, Minamino Shuuichi – also known in some circles as Kurama, Hiei, and finally, their leader, Urameshi Yuusuke." Each time a name was spoken, an all-too-familiar picture accompanied it. Kurama stands, feet nailed to his spot in the carpet, as dread fills him. His double life, as he knew it, just became one. "All four possess supernatural abilities, and are considered to be armed and dangerous at all times."

The rest of the broadcast fell onto deaf ears as Minamino Shiori sank to her knees, eyes wide as a psychotic expression came to her face. An unearthly shriek tore itself from her throat, and, as Kurama stared, wide-eyed, he saw her face contort itself into a rapid flurry of emotions. Anger. Fear. Revulsion. Joy. Love. Sadness.

Shiori collapses to the ground, glassy eyes emptily staring at the ceiling above, as her face continued the pattern like some strange emotional seizure. Concerned, Kurama approaches her, her eyes suddenly snapping to focus onto him. "Kaasan?"

Her eyes widen in fear as she shrinks away. "Get away from me, you, you monster!" Before she could completely pull away, though, her fear suddenly melts into a psychotic, manic smile. "I'm so happy you're my son; I'm sure this is all a misunderstanding!" Getting no response from the kitsune, her face returns to its emotional roller coaster expression cycle, emotional dissociation filling her eyes.

Kurama freezes, confused and shocked at the sudden changes in her mood. Unsure of what to do, he hesitates. A few moments later, a loud banging on the door and a cry of "Police!" told him he had no choice but to leave. Thinking quickly, he tosses a few seeds at the front and back door, growing the plants until the air was laden with sleeping-inducing pollen. Picking up a now sleeping Shiori, he runs upstairs to his bedroom, where he uses the tree to gently lower Shiori to the ground while he jumps out the window.

A loud crash and a bang told him the police had barged into the house, and, taking Shiori with him, he runs to the car and drives off to the temple: the default meeting place of the Reikai Tantei.

To be continued . . .

AN: Hope you enjoyed this chapter! As always, leave a review!


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